Extension
It Starts With Us
Best Management Practices in Home Horticulture
Environmental Awareness
Bowling, Stahler
Horticulture, Consumer and Home
Master Gardener
Integrated Pest Management
With the downturn of local economy due to layoffs by large community stakeholders in the area, many families have a decrease in their monthly incomes and are looking at alternatives to supplement their food supplies. In 2018 the National Gardening Survey indicated that 77% of American households garden in some way. Other estimates reveal that consumer horticulture and supporting industries contribute nearly $200 billion to the US economy each year and support over 2 million jobs. Recent trends indicate that more and more Americans are growing their own food (35% of households) while interests in ornamentals remains high, particularly in the area of gardening to support pollinators and other ecological uses of plants. American gardens will continue to look to Cooperative Extension for specific answers to their gardening questions. The Extension Master Gardener Program equips trained and certified volunteers to assist Extension staff in delivering research-based gardening information to the public.
Increase access of fresh food
Reduce plant loss in landscaping
Minimize environmental impact by following recommended use of pesticides, herbicides, and/or fertilizers
Added value or reduced expenses with landscaping
Volunteer for community horticulture projects
Improve physical, social and/or mental health
Develop employment skills
Use Extension diagnostic services
Be active in gardening
Diversify plant varieties
Add native plants to landscaping
Use Integrated Pest Management practices
Adopt best practices in water quality and/or soil health
Handle chemicals safely
Increase their knowledge of horticulture and best practices in soil health, water conservation, and chemical use
Recognize the value of diagnostic testing
Match plants to appropriate planting location
Understand the value of native plants
Discuss pollinator protection
Locate Extension horticulture resources
Observe horticulture and food preparation demonstrations
Initial Outcome:
Indicator: educational programs will see an increase in participants. Clientele will become more knowledgeable about the relationship between proper pesticide usage and proper plant selections. Clientele will learn the importance of water conservation and the role it plays in garden situations.
Method: Site Visits, Phone Calls, Soil Tests, Insect ID, Plant Diagnostics, Surveys, Private Applicator Licenses
Timeline: throughout the year
Intermediate Outcome:
Indicator: Best Management Practices will begin to replace some chemical usage. Native plant choices will replace some landscape plants. Soil tests will become more of a yearly practice done at the appropriate time for the crop being produced. Water Conservation will begin to be implemented into garden situations.
Method: number of soil tests, surveys, observations, site visits, phone calls, emails, social media comments
Timeline: throughout the year
Long-term Outcome:
Indicator: Clientele will preform soil tests prior to applying any products to any landscape, lawn or garden area. There will be more native plants incorporated into home landscapes. Regular Best Management Practices will be preformed in home gardening situations. Clientele will use at least one method of water conservation on a regular basis in their garden situations.
Method: Soil test numbers at the right time of year for the target crop, surveys, observations, number of site visits, number of phone calls, social media comments
Timeline: throughout the year
Audience: homeowners and Federal Prison Inmates
Project or Activity: Master Gardener Program
Content or Curriculum: State Master Gardener Curriculum
Inputs: County Extension Agents, Extension Specialists, OH and WV Extension Agents, Local specialists, county master gardeners
Date: Annually - spring
Audience: Homeowners
Project or Activity: Gardening seminars
Content or Curriculum: Environmental and gardening related topics
Inputs: County Extension Agents, Extension Specialists, OH and WV extension agents, local specialists, county master gardeners
Date: annually
Audience: homeowners
Project or Activity: WSAZ Home and Garden Show
Content or Curriculum: Extension Publications and programs
Inputs: County Extension Agents, Extension Specialists, OH and WV extension agents, local specialists, county master gardeners
Date: annually - spring
Audience: Farmers Market Vendors
Project or Activity: GAP Training
Content or Curriculum: GAP training materials, state farmers market training
Inputs: County Extension Agents, KDA, New Crop Opportunities, Extension Specialist, Local Producers, USDA
Date: Annually
Audience: Farmers Market Vendors
Project or Activity: Senior and WIC Voucher Training
Content or Curriculum: KDA Voucher training powerrpoint, Farmers Market rules and regulations, State Health Dept information
Inputs: County Extension Agents, KDA, State Health Dept., New Crop Opportunities, Extension Specialist, USDA, Local Producers
Date: Annually
Audience: Farmers Market Vendors
Project or Activity: Farmers Market Meeting
Content or Curriculum: Market Contract of Rules and Regulations, Ky Proud Information
Inputs: County Extension Agents, KDA, New Crop Opportunities, Local Producers, Extension Specialists, USDA
Date: 2 annual spring meetings and 1 annual fall meeting
Audience: local producers
Project or Activity: Small Farm and Garden Conference
Content or Curriculum: Extension Publications and programs
Inputs: County Extension Agents, KDA, New Crop Opportunities, Extension Specialist, Local Producers, USDA, NRCS
Date: Annually
Audience: local producers
Project or Activity: Garden Shed Herb Day
Content or Curriculum: Extension Publications, National Herb Society
Inputs: County Extension Agents, KDA, New Corp Opportunities, Local Producers, Extension Specialists
Date: Annually (spring)
Audience: Farmers Market Producers, Home proudcers
Project or Activity: Vegetable Field Day
Content or Curriculum: Best Management Practices, Production Methods, Marketing Strategies, Food Preservation, Food Safety, Cultivar and Variety Selection
Inputs: County Extension Agents, KDA, New Crop Opportunities, Local Producers, Extension Specialists, USDA
Date Bi-Annually (summer)
Audience: Adults, Youth
Project or Activity: Heritage Harvest Tour
Content or Curriculum: Agritourism featuring local history and agriculture
Inputs: County Extension Agents, KDA, New Crop Opportunities, local producers, extension specialists, USDA, local communities
Date: Annually (Fall)
Author: Lori Bowling
Major Program: Horticulture, Consumer and Home
The Boyd County Extension Horticulture program and the Boyd County Master Gardeners have hosted a Garden Shed Herb Day event each May since 2001. Over the years the event has grown from a backyard setting with 12 attendees to being held at the Extension Educational Facility with over 120 attendees. The educational topics each year are based on the herb of the year with speakers talking about how to grow herbs, their benefits and how to use them. In 2020 this event was cancelled
Author: Lori Bowling
Major Program: Community Gardens and Horticulture Therapy
In the spring of 2021 the horticulture program in Boyd County started a Garden Club program at a local low income housing complex beside the Extension Office. Several residents signed up with 5 of those having mobility issues. The horticulture agent worked with those residents so that they could still be active when it came time to plant in the raised bed gardens at the Extension Community Garden. Within 3 weeks of programs one of the participants was able to get out of their w
Author: Lori Bowling
Major Program: Master Gardener
Extension Master Gardener volunteers help to expand the outreach efforts of the Horticulture program in Boyd County. They are a vital part of Cooperative Extension Service in the community by helping to present educational programs using their gardening experiences and knowledge they have gained through the Master Gardener class and the educational programs they have at their monthly meetings. They volunteer to help plan and execute such extension programs as Farmers Market, the Holi
